Phototherapy involves generation of light by suitable light sources, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) in the visible and infrared ranges to provide various benefits for a patient's body. The photons produced are absorbed by the body through the skin, the eyes and acupuncture points or meridians. Connective tissues in the body conduct the light to deeper tissues and organs. By taking advantage of optical properties of biological tissues, suitable wavelengths of light can be delivered to, absorbed by and used by the body to activate metabolic functions.
Treatment of a body using light irradiation requires a choice of several important parameters, including wavelength range, relative distribution of the wavelengths within the range (spectrum), time interval for continuous exposure, time interval between two continuous exposures, time rate of energy delivered, accumulated energy density for exposures, body component(s) irradiated, and many others.
What is needed is a method and corresponding system that provides appropriate illumination for a body component and appropriate choice of the relevant parameters and that distinguishes between treatments for different medical purposes. Preferably, the method and system should provide for, and distinguish between, initial treatments and maintenance treatments for a given medical condition and should cover a large number of, if not all of, conditions that are believed to be treatable using illumination.